Mower



Oct. 21,1941. J. s. CLAPPER MOWER File'd April 2, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet l [kl an er JOHN J. CLAPPEE f ATTozNEYo Oct. 21, 1941. J. S. CLAPPER 2,259,553

MOWER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1938 lf/ gm, W

JbHN J. C'L/IPPER.

J. S. CLAPPER Oct. 21, 1941.

MOWER Filed April 2, 1938 4 SheetsSheet 3 mwm fizz an er JbH/v J2 CLAPPEE Oct. 21, 1941. J. 5. CLAPPEJR MOWER Filed April 2, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fizz wafer BM 1 2M Patented Oct. 21, 1941 l Y PAT ENT 1 PF! ca MOWER John S. Clapper, Minneapolis, assignor to" Toro'Man-ufacturing Corporation of Minnesota; Minneapolis,- Minn; a corporation of Minnesota Application April 2. 1938, Serial No. 199,66'5 Y 7 Claims";

The present invention relates to amultiple unit lawn: mowing. machine of the'type in which a plurality of lawn-mowing units are arranged to spaced relation about a propellingvehicle, and

particularly to: an arrangement and .mechanism. for hoisting. allot said cutting units from theground and: into carryingpositions on the vehicle. 4 fIfhe. propelling vehicle of such" a multiple unit mowing machine serves both as. a tractor for drawing the units-at. a suitabl slow speed'for mowing a nwnpend as a transportingi'vehicle for..moving. the. units fromone lawn or park areasitowing. arrangement, by which such a result may be. accomplished. v i

It! is also an object or the present invention'to provide a hoist and stowing mechanism which will function to reduce the, overall width of the machine, when themowing units are in transporting position so as to- 'facilitatemovement along streetsand' in trafiic. For this purpose, as

wen as for mowing; Iowpressure pneumatic tires are desirable, a set forth in. the co-pending application, Serial Number 676,086,] which illus-.- trates' a tractor: type gang mower in. which'the traction vehicle is equipped with low-pressure.

tires 50 as toprovide good traction when the ve-' hic'l' is used over irregular surfaces.

. It is a further object of the invention to providea hoisting and stowing mechanism which,

will .hold the mowing un-its steadily against displacement while the vehicle is moving, rapidly, or while moving over rough terrain.

Th mowing. units of a multiple unit mowing machine,-when located behind the propelling 'vehicle, present a considerable mass which produces a substantial overturningmoment when the units are hoisted each inrear position onto the vehicle. It is an object of the invention to provide a hoisting and stowing mechanism which operates to hoist the units onto the vehicle in positions where no such moment will be produced.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a hoisting and stowing mechanism by which one man may safely raise or lower one after another of the mowing units by a continuous movement of the hoisting control mechanism. 1

Other objects and features of the invention arethose inherent and suggestedby the draw ings,;and those inherent and suggested by the embodiments. ofthe invention described hereinafter; 1 4

In the description hereinafter given, reference ishad to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent corresponding parts in allviews, and inlwhich p Figure .l isa plan viewshowing themowing machine units positioned about the; propelling vehicle .1

Figure 2" is ajside elevation. of the .mowing -m'achine including only part of the propelling vehicle.

Figure 3 is a rear view of themachine, with several of, the mowing units omitted, illustrating.

the hoistingof other units.

Figure 4 is a side elevation partlyin section,

upon which is mounted a plurality of mower units and: an apparatus for elevating the units fromzth'e :ground into a transporting position.

Th preferred. form of theinvention illustrated int-he drawings comprises a traction vehicle general l-y'desig-natedl, having a'chassis'irame 2,'a

motor 3,;forwardsteering' axle and wheel assem-- bly t and a rear driving axle and-wheelassembly 5. The traction vehicle also includes a steering wheel 6', operating levers 1- and a'drivers seat 8. The; tractionunit and its'component parts are preferably of the automotive type and maybe varied tosuit the conditions of th'e'serviceof the mower.

' They mowing units, perse,form no part of the present invention and may be of; any desired type. They are preferably identical although some variation'in'size is permissible.

Figure 1 illustrates the manner in which a plurality-of mowing units are grouped about the traction unit. As shown in this figure, units A and A are arrangedinlaterally spaced relationship forwardlyof the-rear axle 5; unit Bi-isarranged central-1 y to the rear of the driving axle 5' of the-traction vehicle, and units C and C" when inmowing. position,; are arranged to the rear of the-traction un-iton a linewith unit B and laterally spaced from the vehicle. Each of the mowing-units. slightly overlaps the cutting .path of another unit so that by their combined action they mow a wide swath which is equal to the sum of the cutting widths of all of the units, less the amount of overlapping of the cutting paths. The illustrated arrangement of the cutting units permits adequate clearance for each unit to swing, during turning of the vehicle, and adequate vertical movement to permit the units to follow irregularities in the surface of the turf. While the arrangement illustrated is preferred, other arrange'ments may be used.

The tractionlinkage between units A and A and. vehicle I consist of a bracket generally designated I!) which is bolted to the chassis frame 2 by means of bolts The bracket I is provided with a brace l2 which is bolted to the frame 2 at [3 and to a depending arm I4 of the bracket. The depending arm I4 is provided with a'universal connection such as one portion of a ball and socket joint l5, the other portion of which is carri'ed by drawbar [6 of the mowing unit.

The forward end of the drawbar l6 extends to a position ahead of the depending bracket l4 and is provided with a hook I! to which spring I8 is attached. The spring I8 is attached at its P upper end to depending arm l4 and exerts an upward force on the hook l1. and hence tends to forcethe rear portion of drawbar l6 downwardly; This effect enhances'the pressure of drive wheels IQ of the mowing unit upon the surface on which perches 2| which rest upon the housing 22 of the driving axle assembly as shown in Figure 1. The perches 2| are held in assembled relation on the axle housing by means of bolts which extend through the perches to bottom plates 23.

Each of the perch assemblies also carries a pair of bracket arms 24.

a The rear axle housing 22 also carries a pair of rearwardly extending brackets 25 to which a cross-bar 21 is attached. The cross-bar is fixed with respect to the axle housing and carries a pair of tow-bars 32 and 32'.

The brackets 24 curve upwardly as shown in Figure 4 and are equipped with pivot bolts 26 which carry a V-shaped tow-frame assembly 28. The tow-frame 28 is shaped so as to clear towbars 32 and 32' and is provided with a downwardlyextending arm 29 to which mowing unit B is attached by means of ball and socket joint I5 and drawbar I6. I

The traction linkage IE of unit B is identical with those of units A and A except that a chain- 42 is used in place of spring |8. Since the chain 42 is inextensible, the Weight'of frame assembl 28 is carried on the unit B, which is forced down wardly so as to increase the traction between drive wheels and the surface over which they operate, as described in U. S. Patent Serial Number 112,188, now Patent No.'2,100,9l0, issued November 30, 1937. v

The traction linkages of mowing units C and C are similar and hence only that of unit C will be described. This traction linkage consists of a draw-rod 36, which is hooked into a hole in the V bracket I!) of unit A, and similarly coupled with a spacer arm 3|. The spacer arm'3l is univer' sally mounted on'the rear end of tow-bar 32 by means of a sep'aiable'universal joint generally designated 34.- As previouslystated tow-arm 32 isfixed-withrespect to the rear axle assembly,

' tegrally with arm 32.

being carried by brackets --25 and cross-bar 21.

The universal coupling joint 34 between the tow-bar 32 and spacer arm 3| is illustrated in Figure 1 and consists of a clevis 35 which is formed integrally with arm 3|, and a second clevis 36 which is pivotally connected to the clevis 35 by means of pin 31. The clevis 3B is provided with a stub shaft 38 which fits into a vertical tubular bearing 33 which is formed in- The spacer arm 3| is thus enabled to pivot in a vertical plane about pin 31 as a center, and is permitted to swing in a horizontal plane about the stub shaft 38 when rod 30 is disconnected.

The outer end of spacer arm 3| is provided with an integrally formed ear 40 to which the rod 30 is connected, and with a vertical bracket 4| (see Figure 2). Mower unit C is connected to the traction linkage composed of draw-rod 30, spacer arm 3|, and tow-bar 32 by means of a ball and socket joint |5, between draw-bar l6 of unit C and bracket 4| of arm 3|.

The forward end of traction arm l6 of unit C is provided with a hook H, as with units A and B,'but in this instance, as in the instance of unit A B, achain 42 joins the hook I1 and hook 43 on bracket 4| (see Figure 2). In a similar manner, the weight of rod 30 and spacer arm 3| is applied to. increase the traction of unit C.

During the movement of the mowing machine from one area to another, the mowing units are elevated out of contact with the ground surface. The hoisting elements for units A and A and 3 comprises a winch and chain assembly generally designated 50, as described in co-pending application, Serial Number 676,086, which illustrates a' multiple axle tractortype mowing machine in which spaced mowers are suspended between the 'front and rear axles of the traction vehicle and tached to their respective units by any suitable hitch.

Near the center of shaft 5| there is provided a third wrapping groove for chain 6| which extends rearwardly over a U-shaped boom 62 by way of coupling 63 to mowing unit B. The boom 62 is fixed 'with respect to V-frame 28, and both swing as a unit about pin 26.

The cross-shaft 5| is provided with a hand operated mechanism of any suitable kind, generally designated 65, by which the shaft may be rotated.

Mechanism 65 includes a handle 66 by which the operator of the vehicle may operate it, and a release pedal 6! for controlling the lowering operation.

The hoisting mechanism for units C and C is a crane mechanism generally designated 10, shown in detail in Figure 5 and in the general assembly of Figure 3. The mechanism comprises an inverted V-shaped frame H which is attached to the vehicle chassis by means of cross frame 12 and brackets 13 and I3 and two curved crane arms 14 and 14' which are pivotally mounted on bolts 15 and 15 for movement in a vertical plane transversely of the vehicle. Crane arms 14 and genomes H" which .serve. units 1 C. and iC"'1are similar, and are: provided at :ltheirrupper :endswith 'qoivotally mounted grab hooks 16- and 1 6", respectively. The-crane arms are providedwiiih' brackets 51:! and and pulleys and 1:8 and with a lock cow pling generally designated l-'9.

' Coupling 7 9 is-shown indetai'lin Figure 36 and consists f-a pair of short side plates- 80 which are fixed nponthe crane arms M and 1 4 'The side-plates 80 are apertured and curved-apart neartheir ends :and are sufliciently long'fto permit a pin 18:1 to be passed through the-aperture when thearms are in :a position embracing'the-vertical section 82 of main frame 1.1. llvhen thearmis'iin the .position shown inFigure' fi 'with the pin =8l passing through thewapertures inth'e Jarm, it is locked against any outward movement but thepin 81 can readily .be withdrawn to permit movement. The hoisting arrangement :by "which -anms -14 andM' may be raised .and lowered .pons'i'sts lot .a

cable.:.8:5 and winding drum-85 'WmCh.i8/IB .arhanged to be operated-by handcrank 81. .IThe winding drum '86 is provided "with-a pawl and ratchet mechanism :88 by which the winding .drum 86 may be locked against reverse movement. .The cable 85 is attached to main frame-1i: byJeye'boit 89 and thence passes over pulley lsf-ofprane arm MN-and over a small pulley 90. at; the mppenextremity'rof the main frame H. The 'cable'then passes over pulley 13 of crane armi-H "andifinally to winding drum 86. Thus as windingrdrumtfi isturned so as to take in the'wcable185; cranevarm 14 may be elevated from the position ashown .in the dotted lines in Figure 3 to the full :line:position shown in Figure 3.

Crane arms 14 and Mare zalsogprovided with integrally formed sockets 95 and-95., respectively, which receive hooks formed on :draw-.rods;:30 and 30f when the arms-and mowing unitsuareinzelevated position as shown in the dotted lines in Figure .2. In these positions'the draw-rodsi30 and 3.! serve to .brace the hoisting mechanism-l0, and particularly the crane arms J4 and ldwduring the time the mowing units C and .C' 'are'bein transported thereon. 7

When the mowing units C and C are in their elevated position additional support is provided to each moving unit by a wiper roll supporting arm, generally designated I00 and I08. These are the same for both units and hence only that for unit C will be described in detail.

Arm I05 is V-shaped and is pivoted at point IOI upon main frame H of the hoist. The outer ends of the arm are provided with shaped, semicircular supports IBZ to receive the wiper rolls of the mowing machines. The arms I80 are elevated by lifting links I93 which are drawn upwardly by the action of a hand lever I54 which is pivoted at I05 to the main frame II of the hoisting mechanism. The hand lever I04 is movable in the direction of the arrow I I0 from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 5 to lower the supports. In the position shown in Figure 3 the pivotal connection between lifting links I03 and the arm IE4 is closer to the main frame II than pivot point I05, and the support I02 is accordingly locked in the wiper roll gripping position.

Operation When the mowing units are to be elevated from the ground to the transporting position, hand lever 66 of mechanism 65 may first be oscillated, and chains 54-54 and BI which serve units A, A and B, respectively, are all wound upon their respective winding grooves on transverse shaft 5 I As. the chains 54 and-'54. 1221'8 wound, :units :Aand A"-'arelifted directly-about the uniVersalconnections I5 as apivot; until the units 'arefirom six to eight inches above their respective mowing positions. As chain '61 is woundupon shaft-5l the; boom 52 and V-frame' '28 are raised about pivot bolts 26 until the slack in the chain-and hitch 53 is removed. "The boom 62, hitch 63, mowing unit 13, its traction connection [ligand V-framei28-are then moved as-a unit aboutpivot pins 4 6- until the unit B is raisedinto transporting position about six or eight inches above its mowing position. a

To move units 0 and C'irommow'ing positi'on into positionafor hoisting, rods 30 and 30' are first disengaged. The universal connections 3 1 and 34 are then disconnected from tow -bars"32 and 32 simply by lifting stubshaltsia ofuea'ch joint out of be-aring 33. Arms 3I and'3l" are*rotated backwardly so as to overlie their respective units, and the units are then rolledto the po'sitiomadjacent the rear' wheels, as shown by the full line position of unit 0' in Figure .1. The hoisting mechanismifor units C and C is then lowered tothe dotted line position shown in. Figure 3 and grab hooks I6 and 76' are coupled to units C and C, respectively. Hand crank BI'is then operated in a direction to wind cable 85-11mm winding drum 86 and the arms 14 and then-H, are accordingly raised to the full line'positio'n shownin Figure 3. In so doing; units C and C are elevated. RatchetGB prevents the unwinding ofdrums 85, but for additional safety, .pins'8I are inserted and the cranearms '14 are accordingly locked in elevated position. v Handles- I04 and 104' which up to this .time'were in the position shown in Figure 5, are moved downwardly to the'position shown in Figurerli, and in so doing arms I and Illilare drawn upwardly. until the curved ends I82 ofv the arms are'in tightcontact with thewiper rolls offmowing units 0 and 6., respectively. When inthis position the. unitsare steadied against oscillationduring transit.

Byreferring to Figure 1 it will-beseen that three of the five moving units illustrated-areto the rear of driving axle-5 while-mowing. ;Wh en the units, are elevatedi-ntotransporting position, only unit B is behind the driving axle 5. Units A and A remain in substantially the same position with respect to vehicle I in both the mowing and transporting positions, and units C and C" are poised substantially over the driving axle 5. The center of gravity of all of the mowing units taken together is, therefore, ahead of the driving axle 5, and since the center of gravity of the traction vehicle by itself is between the driving axle 5 and the steering axle 4, it follows that when the mowing units are in the transporting position the center of gravity of the vehicle and load combined, is ahead of the driving axle 5. There is accordingly no tendency for the guiding wheels 4 ever to be pulled off or to ride too lightly upon the ground even while the vehicle is accelerating rapidly in traific or ascending a steep grade.

Variations in the position of hoisting mechanism 10 may obviously be made, so long as the center of gravity of the mowing unit load is over or ahead of the driving axle 5 when in the transporting position.

It will also be noted that the hoisting of units C and C is along a transverse line of the vehicle, adjacent the rear axle. The lateral moment which occurs during hoisting is accordingly resisted by the long unyielding rear axle assembly. The fact that units C and C are hoisted in opposition even though one maybe elevated before the. other," also serves to steady the ve hicle during the hoisting operation.

1 "An added means for utilizing the traction'linkage described for units C and occurs when it is desiredto 'move the mowing machine, without elevating the units, through a space of limited width. This is accomplished by disconnecting rods '30 and 30, and permitting arms 3| and 3|, with respective unitsC and C, to swing backward about bearings 33 and to trail therebehind, as described in U. S. Patent Number 2,067,158.- The over all width of the gang of 'iive units is thereby reduced to the width of a gang of three units.

' Variations may obviously be made in the mechanism" without departing from the spirit of the invention described and claimed herein.

' Iclaim:

1; A multiple unit mowing machine comprising a traction vehicle having a driving axle, drive wheels mounted thereon, a plurality of mowing units mounted in mowing position on said vehicle, and hoist mechanism extending transver'sely over said vehicle drive wheels for lifting said units.

2. In a mowing machine a traction vehicle having front and rear wheels; a crane arm pivotall'y mounted on said Vehicle for movement 7 from an upright position to a substantially horizontal position across said rear wheel, a mowing unit and means for maintaining said unit in a position spaced laterally from the axis of the vehicle beyond the path of said wheels, means for connecting said unit to said crane arm and means for elevating said arm to thereby elevate the mowing unit into a carrying position with the crane arm upright, and a second arm pivoted on said vehicle, said second arm being shaped to engage a part of said unit when the latter is elevated, and means for moving the second arm into engagement with said unit.

3. A multiple mowing unit transport mowing machine comprising a traction vehicle having a front axle and a rear axle, a'mowing unit connected to the vehicle and having a normal position forwardly of the rear axle, means for ele-' vatingi said forwardly positioned .unit during transporting, another mowing unit normally positioned rearwardly and laterally with respect to the vehicle rear axle, hoisting means mounted on the chassis and means connecting the rearwardly positioned unit with the hoisting means, said connecting means having movement from an operative mower position to a position over the chassis and sufiiciently forwardly of the normal position of the unitthat when the units are elevated into their transporting positions the center of gravity of the vehicle and hoisted unit will'be between the vehicle axles.

4. A device ofthetype set forth in claim 3, wherein the hoisting, means is a crane arm.

5. A device of the type set forth in claim 3 wherein there is means on the vehicle and engaging the rear unit when in its hoisted position for holding the unit against swaying movement.

6. A multiple mowing unit transport mowing machine comprising a traction vehicle having a chassis, a front axle and wheels and a rear axle and wheels, mowing units connected to the vehicle and normally positioned one forwardly of each rear wheel, means for hoisting said units during transportation; other mowing units positioned rearwardly and outwardly of each rear wheel in overlapping cutting relation with respect to the first mentioned units and hoisting means mounted on the vehicle there being one for each rearwardly positioned unit, means connecting each of the rearwardly positioned units with its hoisting means, each of said connecting means having movement from an operative rear mower position to a position over the chassis sufficiently forwardly that when all of the units are in transporting condition the center of gravity of the units and chassis will be between the vehicle axles.

7; A device of the type set forth in claim 6 wherein the hoisting'means comprises crane arms one for each mowing unit and means for operating the arms simultaneously to elevate the units.

' JOHN S. CLAPPER. 

